| ing your company’s reputation on the Internet is | | | | launches, promotions, relocations, etc. |
| one of the many ancillary marketing strategies that | | | | 3. Build online profiles – Connect with your target |
| have emerged from the explosive rise of search | | | | audience through social media sites such as MySpace, |
| engine marketing over the last decade or so and is no | | | | FaceBook, and others. Social media sites are a great |
| small consideration for businesses of all sizes now and | | | | way to post positive information about your company. |
| for the near future. | | | | Make sure that your company name appears in the |
| Why is reputation management relevant to your | | | | URL. |
| company? | | | | 4. Register domains – Register domains with |
| The short answer: Reputation management matters | | | | your company name whenever possible. If your |
| because more and more people use information found | | | | preferred name is already taken, get creative and use |
| online to influence their purchasing decisions. If | | | | variations to get your firm name somewhere in the |
| someone searches for your company’s name | | | | domain name. Use the name in the content of the site. |
| or one of your products only to find negative | | | | Write your site content to entice your viewers to visit |
| feedback on the first search results page, the sales | | | | other pages of the site. |
| opportunity is lost. | | | | 5. Add sub-domains – If possible, register your |
| Remember the old adage about bad news traveling | | | | URL with different suffixes like .net, .info, .biz, etc. Also |
| faster than good news? The Internet not only validates | | | | see if site names like or and other variations are |
| the truth in that statement, it accelerates it. | | | | available. |
| Because your company’s reputation on the | | | | 6. Start a company blog – And update the blog |
| Web matters now more than ever, here are some | | | | with new content regularly. Blogs are inexpensive, very |
| reputation management tips to help you get started: | | | | popular, and search engines love them. Blogs also |
| 1. Determine your company’s current reputation | | | | provide a great opportunity to get your message out |
| – Find out how your company is perceived | | | | there and for feedback. |
| online. Conduct searches using your company name | | | | 7. Retain the services of a pro – Consider hiring |
| and look for negative feedback on blogs, forums, and | | | | a reputation management professional to guide you |
| other online communities where people might leave | | | | through the process. An outside perspective is always |
| feedback about your firm. Also think about subscribing | | | | helpful for fresh insight that you may not consider. |
| to Google Alerts and other online services where you | | | | The reputation management tips are just a few of the |
| receive notice when new postings appear online | | | | many ways that you can manage your firm’s |
| containing the keywords and phrases you have | | | | standing online. Most cost very little and the information |
| chosen. | | | | gathered in the process provides a clear perception as |
| 2. Issue press releases regularly – Use the | | | | to how your target audience views your company and |
| power of well-written, newsworthy press releases to | | | | products. |
| announce company anniversaries, new product | | | | |